So with a lack of time this winter I'm going to be forced into having someone else handle my engine rebuild. Called around to a few spots and think I've found my guy but looking to poll and see what other folks have paid. I know that every build is unique and costs can skyrocket off what your plans/needs are. I'm looking to redo my lower my Pistons and rods are fairly new but crank has already been buffed once so may have to be replaced. Aside from that just brgs. For the top half I'm going to complete my eddlebrock rpm setup with their alum rpm heads and cam.
Just over the phone my guy is saying about 2000 for lower rebuild with gaskets and misc. items inc. (timing chain etc.) The heads and cam are on me to supply. I figure about 4,500 to 5,000 with him putting it on the Engine Dyno.
I would love to do a butler engine but 11.5k is too much for me to swing. Let me know if my pricing is way off base. I'm not locked into this machine shop so I'm also open to suggestions.

*** note my engine was rebuilt 1500 miles ago it just sat for 12 years. I'm fairly sure it's a flat spotted Brg. The noise is minimal and believe I cought it super early.

Make sure the guy has experience with Pontiac motors.

Have a look at these guys: http://www.butlerperformance.com/

He has been open for 35 years and has done a good amount of Pontiac 400's. Love butler performance!!! Called them to discuss my build and they are coming in at 11.5k. They want to stroke out my engine and put in a roller cam. All great things but when I told them my plans they told me the price for a stroked 400 vs a mild 400 is essentially the same.

Hey Justin, I will let you know hopefully soon what my quote is going to be from a Pontiac builder in SC. I am also going with the stroked 400 with forged rotating assy and eddy round port alum heads with custom Hyd roller cam and Performer RPM intake with 800 cfm Qjet. I have heard pretty consistently that it will run about $1000.00-$1500.00 for the block machine work and then what ever else for the assembling the engine. If the price you are saying (4-5 grand) includes the price of the alum heads and him assembling everything, I would say you are probably pretty close, but I think that would also depend on what kind of cam you are going with. The price of most of the parts for a Hyd roller cam and parts needed for that are going to run around $900-1000.00, so I would say that you are going to be pretty close to your estimate, take or give around $500.00. That is just my guess. GL man and let me how that pans out for you. SF!!

You are not replacing anything but bearings and possible the crank.. correct?? I think we all know it isn't going to be the same price as what Butler quoted you, if you are not trying to replace all the rotating assy parts. If you were going to go that route and replace the whole rotating assembly, than it would be adding another $1500-2000.00 to that total price at a minimum depending on what you went with. And I am sure that their (Butlers) shop rate is higher than the guy you are looking at going through.

Yeah just planning on lower re-work. Thats assuming no issues. The cam is eddlebrock just standard hyd. I know deep down I should do the stroker kit but too [censored] much. I probably put out some more OT and pull it off but With the rebuild I also want a few goodies too. Elec fans and following Ordy's advice a 2004R trans.

I've never really paid anybody to assemble my motor so I don't know what they get for that but I know the last time I had block work done ithe bottom came in at $600 and the heads were another $650. Now if I remember right that was clean, bore, hone, cam bearings, crank balance, resizing rods and mounting pistons. The heads had a valve job, hard seats, new guides, new SS valves. I supplied the new springs, retainers and keepers. The full gasket kit runs about $150. Timing set about$50. Oil pump $75. Then of course you have all the odds and ends. I usually figure another$3-500 for stuff I forgot. Altogether I think I figured I had about $2500 in it but that included cam kit, HO manifolds, and carburetor. These were all pretty standard parts. Nothing fancy. That motor dynoed at 300HP/360 TQ on a DynoJet machine in 2007.

$4000-$4500 and you can beat on it for another 150k-200k miles. If you want to blow the doors off those LS powered junkers let me know.

Hey Justin, I did notice that Butler offers a 461-467 short block kit for $3500 which has a complete machined block with everything for the rotating assy, just unassembled. http://www.jbp-pontiac.com/products/engines_assemblies/ShortBlocksKits.html
Also, they offer a assembled 461-467 short block for $4395.00. http://www.jbp-pontiac.com/products/engines_assemblies/short_blocks.html
Just a thought, but didn't know if you stay with your block or not and don't know if they would do your block for the same price. I don't know if that would really save you any monies or not.

Can you send me a PM on what Butler said they do for the $11,500.00 that they offered?

As Gus says, make sure the builder knows Pontiacs inside and out.

Good info all. Keep it coming

Are you saying you would build the engine for him for that price Bigchief??? What about blowing those LS junkers away???

Yup just had a few engines done.
recently fired up one engine in a 67 bird and is running and driving now. 1977 400 with 6x -8 heads
Have another engine to assemble, a 1967 400 with 670 heads done at the machine shop for one of my customers recently. Used brand new forged rods with good bolts and icon pistons with a dish to run on today's gasoline. In the cylinder heads we went with all new stainless valves, new valve springs and retainers......etc. bronze guides and a good quality multi angle valve job with a carbide cutter. Complete assembly ballanced. The engine block was also line honed and the decks were squared then the block was thoroughly cleaned with brushes through all oil galleys and finished off with new cam bearings and freeze plugs and the plug by the distributor has an oil hole to oil the distributor gear.

That's cool, I had to ask, cause I didn't realize you rebuilt engines. I guess you send out all your machine work? What would you do to a engine to blow away those LS junkers

To build an engine with a bit more power some head work and custom camshaft grind and intake modications is needed. Today's limiting factor is the crap gasoline we have so have to use a dish piston and drop compression ratio unless race gas is available. Back in the day we could get good quality 93 octane gas and run 72 cc or less heads and flat top pistons and not have to worry about detonation. Friend had a good running 400 factory cam with TRW flat tops with stock #48 heads that ran fine on sunoco 93. Car would run 12.00 -12.20 all day.
Have you seen the ram air 2 first Gen birds that run in the FAST (factory appearing stock tire). Pretty impressive cars.

I don't know if I have seen them or not.. my fading memory takes control now and then...lol I think I would have to have the Alum heads to help out with using the todays gas, at least that is what's in my plan. Still looking around for possible builders in my area or some what close.

I would recommend Len Williams Pontiac, in the Tulsa, OK Area. He has been one of the Midwest's most reliable for years. He has a shop just West of Tulsa, near I-44 (route 66). He does ONLY Pontiac- and does it right.

If you have all the parts and just need a freshening up, I'd say $2k-$3k from history. He sells a 400 long block for under $4k. He also sells a 455 motor that's a monster, too.

http://www.lenwilliamsautomachine.com/Home.html

He puts prices on his website, and is fully legit. Does ALL machine work in house.

From his web:

The 400 engines are built with stock block, crank, rods, and 6X head castings. We select the correct block for your application( 2 or 3 bolt motor mount). They are assembled complete except for manifolds, distributor, valve covers, and water pump. They are painted Pontiac metallic blue unless you request otherwise. These engines make are excellent for both street & strip, they can be driven everyday and raced on the weekend. They will run premium unleaded(92-94 octane). Engine will have slight rough idle, but it will make enough vacuum to work your power brakes. Horsepower on the 400 engine is approximately 385hp.
The engines all start with a fully prepped seasoned block that is bored and honed with a headplate, new cam bearings, freeze plugs, oil galley plugs, and dipstick tube are installed. The cranks are all ground undersize for correct bearing clearance. Rods are all resized and have ARP rod bolts installed. The complete assemblies are balanced and forged pistons are installed. Cylinder heads get bronze wall guides, a competition valve job, and are milled for 9.25:1 compression. Engines are all sold outright so there is no core charge.
*Manual transmission will need to send the flywheel for balancing or we can supply you with a new steel wheel.
$3795.00

Im in the same boat and looking to build a 400+ motor. Im looking HARD at the butler unassembled kits. I may be able to swing that kit, but will have to wait a while before I can finish it up.

My potential build
-Butler Stroke rotating assembly
-Kauffman or Ebrock Aluminum heads

Still contemplating cam choices and Cubes

Saw the butler non assembled engines and while their products are top notch feel like if there is a problem they are going to say it was fault of the person who assembled it not their product. Too much of a risk for that type of money. I'm going to call Len Williams this week. Thanks for the top.

Hey Justin, can you let me know what Len quotes you?

I've heard good things about Jim Taylor. I believe he is now in the Easton, PA area

PM sent

Who is Jim Taylor? Does he have a site to look at?

Jim Taylor
(908) 213-3456

120 S 5th St, Phillipsburg, NJ
I've seen his stuff in HPP Magazine.

goose, when you get some prices can you maybe post a list of how much some of these guys charge for the different operations(if they break it down)? Most of the time they will quote for each one. The final bill comes out better for them that way. If you find a decent shop they will cut the rate some because they are already working on that part anyway. Like when they bore and hone it doesnt take that much more to deck the block at the same time.